Your Favorite Enemies

BIOGRAPHY

Your Favorite Enemies is a Montreal rock band formed in 2006 by Alex Foster (vocals), Jeff Beaulieu (guitar), Sef (guitar), Ben Lemelin (bass), Miss Isabel (keyboard), and Charles “Moose” Allicie (drums). From the very first moment of the band’s creation, the sextet decided to resolutely manage every aspect of the band’s career based on their community values and their dedicated “do it yourself” ethos. Influenced by the likes of Sonic Youth, Fugazi, The Cure, Pixies, My Bloody Valentine, and Mars Volta, the band’s distinctive blend of dirty and polished type of dissonant sonic textures along with their introspective poetry and symbolist type of lyrical approach quickly gathered fanatics from all over the world. These devoted fans immediately started promoting Your Favorite Enemies through the creation of different street teams and fan communities. […]

On July 4, 2017, Your Favorite Enemies released “A Journey Beyond Ourselves”, the complete story of “Between Illness and Migration”. Debuting in 2012 with the initial recording of the album taking place in a former catholic church that the band transformed into a professional studio, the project covers the 5 releases of the album in 5 different versions (Japan, Australia, Canada, Europe, and India) and the deluxe version of the album, “Tokyo Sessions”, released June 2016. Considered the definitive incarnation of the journey, the latest album vividly represents what “Between Illness and Migration” has been and is now offered on vinyl for the first time. […]

RELEASES

A Journey Beyond Ourselves (Deluxe Collector Boxset) (2017)

“Between Illness and Migration” is a journey that debuted in 2012, when the initial recording of the album took place in a former catholic church that the band transformed into a professional studio. After 5 releases in 5 different versions (Japan, Australia, Canada, Europe and India), Your Favorite Enemies released the deluxe version of the album, “Tokyo Sessions”, in June 2016. Considered the definite incarnation of the journey, the album vividly represents what “Between Illness and Migration” has been and is now offered on vinyl for the first time.

Tokyo Sessions (Double LP Vinyl) (2017)

The “Tokyo Sessions” vinyl is the 3rd release of the collection “Spin It ’Til It Bleeds”. Entirely handmade in Your Favorite Enemies’ creative atelier by the band members themselves, the vinyl features hi-fi audiophile quality, and the utmost care has been given to every detail, from the gatefold jacket to its inner sleeves, all the way to the vinyl itself.

The Uplifting Sound… (Vinyl LP) (2016)

“The Uplifting Sound Of An Epiphanic Awakening” film was directed by Your Favorite Enemies’ singer Alex Henry Foster, documenting YFE’s first China tour held in 2011. The film includes behind-the-scenes footage, several interviews and features the band’s Shanghai MIDI Festival performance, a concert still considered by several Chinese music pundits and observers as one of the most iconic shows to have ever been performed in the country.

Therefore, in order to celebrate what has been a defining and pivotal moment in Your Favorite Enemies’ history, the band members decided not only to make “The Uplifting Sound” concert available for the very first time on vinyl, but to entirely remix and remaster the performance themselves, marking such a significant anniversary by sharing a refreshed sonic perspectives on a limited and collectible engraved vinyl.

Between Illness And Migration – Deluxe: Tokyo Sessions (Album) (2016)

Following the journey of “Between Illness and Migration”, “Tokyo Sessions” is the vivid and definite incarnation of an album that has been an evolving journey of its own.

The album primarily consists of a complete new interpretation, incarnation and production of every song that constitutes the original version of “Between Illness and Migration” and includes the new songs “Satsuki Yami (My Heartbeat)”, “Underneath a Blooming Skylight”, “Anyone” and “Yūnagi”.

1-2-3 (One Step Away) (Single) (2016)

Following the unique “Between Illness and Migration” album theme, “1-2-3 (One Step Away)” moves the story forward to that moment of contemplation and psyching oneself up to take that fateful step forward, away from the pain and devastation, into something more positive and hopeful.

“It’s a song I wrote reflecting the let go of the personal elements that hold us back in our present state of saddened hearts and keep our soul captive in the despairs of the past. It’s truly a personal song by nature, but a collective state. We may mourn the impermanence of life, but we can all elevate ourselves with the euphoria of rebirth”, says Alex Foster.

Between Illness And Migration (Album) (2015) (Indian Edition)

The 5th version of the album “Between Illness And Migration” has just seen the day in India! Alex explains the meaning of the cover:

“In the morning, when it’s still night, and that the lights of the city are still on; it’s that exact breaking point. Seconds after, the lights went off, and the sun rose up. And the picture of the album represents that moment. India is a wonderful country, where people are very creative and where art holds an important place. And the album cover is like discovering a new culture; when all the lights of what you think you know go off, then you can really see the culture for what it is like. We have never been to India, but we are looking forward to discovering these unique people and country, where creativity and art hold an important place”

Between Illness And Migration (Album) (2014) (European Edition)

This is the long awaited European version of the album Between Illness And Migration!
“Between Illness And Migration” is a blend of shoegaze, hard pulse rock, progressive tones, post punk art rock and high level noises, all defined by its unique lyrical poetry and a yet raging delivery, yet moody type of communion. It’s the pilgrimage of a big city vertigo looking for the ocean’s peaceful rebirth, a twisted sonic, uplifting spiritual journey on its own.

Between Illness And Migration (Album) (2014) (Canadian Edition)

“Between Illness And Migration” is a journey we all go through, despite our nationality, culture, language, religion, sexual orientation and personal values. It’s a path where faith and despair seem to be so much alike, a voyage where hope and misery are difficult to differentiate, a peregrinate where redemption and desperation look all the same. It’s a personal state of our heart and soul, where the darkness of broken dreams is obscuring the skyline of our bright desire to live. As much as we would like to avoid it or deny its implacable nature, we all go through that path at some point in our life. As much as we would have loved to help them and save them, we all know people and loved ones who have lost their way through their own journey…

I Just Want You To Know (Single) (2013)

About “I Just Want You To Know”… “It might be about the freedom that comes from the personal decision to let go of everything we kept on holding on… about the emotional implication of blending in if not affectively belonging… about the inner wounds of rejection as much as the invisible scars of indifference. It’s about the noisy sounds storming in our heads and the raging silence that comes with it. It’s about breaking the cycle of our deceiving self-preservation bounds and about the hopeful upraise of light that overcomes the illusionary make-believes shadowing our faith in better tomorrows. It’s about freedom and shortcoming promises. And ultimately about the resoluteness of “being”, regardless of our shameful losses and regretful disbeliefs… about taking a chance, another one…”

Between Illness And Migration (Album) (2013) (Australian Edition)

This album was released by Hopeful Tragedy Records in Australia on September 6th, 2013. It features a unique artwork that illustrates the special relationship that Your Favorite Enemies shares with the Australian people. It also includes a bonus track that is exclusive to the Australian version of the album.

Youthful Dreams Of An Old Empire (Album) (2013)

A blend of alternative, shoegaze, new prog and noise rock, “Youthful Dreams Of An Old Empire” is the soundscape of peace through confusion, of solace through despair, love through desires and of dreamful let go through fierce angst. The 3-track EP travels through both ends of the emotional spectrum, in which the band redefined the textures of its distinctive sonic identity.

VINYLSacred Kind Of Whispers (Vinyl LP) (2013)

Side A is an emotional voyage in itself and Side B is a poetic scenery… which makes the “Sacred Kind Of Whispers” LP a true reflection of the defining experience we went through individually and as a band… as much as being an invitation to let go of any hopeless bonding and to see the colors of the invisible to anyone listening to the album”

Between Illness And Migration (Album) (2013) (Japanese Edition)

“Between Illness And Migration” is Your Favorite Enemies’ first ever album released in Japan, a blend of shoegaze, hard pulse rock, progressive tones, post punk art rock and high level noises, all defined by its unique lyrical poetry and a yet raging delivery, yet moody type of communion. It’s the pilgrimage of a big city vertigo looking for the ocean’s peaceful rebirth, a twisted sonic, uplifting spiritual journey on its own.

Vague Souvenir (Album) (2012)

“Vague Souvenir” is an album associated with Your Favorite Enemies’ special project “Ceremony And Jubilation”. This unique and intimate journey consists of 14 transits, which includes 3 personal songs written over the course of the band’s first years, 4 french poetry songs, excerpts of Alex’s upcoming poetry book, 2 soulful cover songs performed by the band in the “Upper Room” studio and 5 interpretations of different artists’ songs that have been significant and defining to the band members.

Running Through The Rain Of Estrangement… (DVD) (2012)

Released exclusively for the Secret Family Cult Club Old School Members, this DVD was recorded and filmed on May 29th, 2011, during a very special acoustic performance taking place in their “Arisen From Despairs, A Morning Of All Hope” Japanese Tour, which was part of their Hope Project initiated to support the people afflicted by the tragedy caused by the tsunami in Tohoku. Your Favorite Enemies had the honor not only to be the first band to ever play in the historic Otagi Nenbutsu-Ji Temple of Kyoto, but to capture one of the most intimate and stunning moments ever recorded by the band…

The Uplifting Sound… (DVD) (2011)

Recorded and filmed on May 8th 2011 in Shanghai, during their “The Rising Youth Of The Dragon’s Land” Chinese extensive tour, “The Uplifting Sound Of An epiphanic awakening… The Enlightenment Of Letting Go” (Deluxe) and [Limited Edition] DVD is not only a vibrant testimony of what became one of the most epic, uplifting and empowering performance ever offered by Your Favorite Enemies, but perfectly represents the band’s distinctive and unique way to share a true defining moment of communion with the people.

When asked about the reasons to produce a special Deluxe and Remastered version of Love Is Promise Whispering Goodbye, including 3 songs and 3 videos originally left out of the original release along with a special interactive website holding a series of 10 clips covering the whole story of the album, Foster explains: “We were ready to look back, to look back without the fear of seeing the people we were at the time. Without the emotional turmoil associated with the troubled context we were living in at the time, we were excited by the idea of opening the door, even slightly, for our people to look and see.”

Love Is A Promise Whispering Goodbye (Album) (2008)

The album Love Is Promise Whispering Goodbye is not only an all-time fan favorite, but became a defining representation of the band’s unique journey and the corner stone of what is now known as the genuine and independent nature of Your Favorite Enemies.

And If I Was To Die In The Morning… (Album) (2007)

This self-produced EP was released by Your Favorite Enemies on their own record label, Hopeful Tragedy Records, which they founded for the occasion.